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THE ONE SHOE PROJECT: a project by THE U.S.I.S. REACH OUT

Accra, Ghanajamestown, Ghana
Derrick Seyram ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQHGIWpk14Q

Year Founded:
2013
Organization type:
nonprofit/ngo/citizen sector
Project Stage:
Start-Up
Budget:
$10,000 - $50,000
Website:
http://www.facebook.com/theusisreachout.com
Twitter:
https://www.changemakers.com/%40theusisreachout
Facebook:
https://www.changemakers.com/The%20Usis%20Reach%20Out

Employment
Education
Sustainable development
Volunteerism

Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

Empowerment of Education in most deprived areas in Africa.

Provision of Locally Manufactured Shoes for school children aged 5-11 in these deprived areas
Creation of Business and Employment in the Local Shoe Manufacturing Industry.

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

What if Education in Africa's most deprived areas is empowered in a total new way? What if we wore our own locally made shoes to school?
What if all dreams were possible after all?

About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

I discovered that, many school children in very deprived areas in Africa from age 5-11 walked barefooted to school and this posed as a threat to
them and their future, as many of these kids felt discouraged and didn’t see the need to go to school or perhaps, didn’t see the need to risk
getting hurt walking barefooted, all in the name of going to school. Again, most of these kids kept progressing in class stages but not in
Knowledge.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

Firstly, our volunteers have been given first hand training on the project and its goals since they are mostly needed in the execution of the
project. Secondly, a door to door education campaign is carried out in these deprived areas to enable locals grab the essence of education.
Also, funds are being collected from individuals, corporate bodies, organizations, etc. to provide shoes for these school children. The funds are
then invested into the local shoe industry thereby creating more employment in the sector. Again, our volunteers dedicate a day in the week to
go teach these kids Basic English expressions to build them up. In the end, education is empowered as well the African Shoe Industry (where
we finally stop importing shoes).

1
 Awards

Nomination: Common Weath Bright Idea

Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

The Project will for the start affect over 20,000 school children in very deprived areas in Ghana. They will have access to good pair of shoes for
school, free English tuition by volunteers and they will get better as the project runs.As well, local shoe manufacturers will have some more capital
to run their business and hence will open employment opportunities in that sector.

Impact: What is the impact of the work to date? Also describe the projected future impact for the coming years.

The first locality we are starting with is in Accra,Ghana in a place called "Jamestown' which is a fishing community. The name of the school we are
visiting for the start is "Christ the King School" owned and run by one Disabled man called Mr. Ashley. For the start the project seeks to help about
200 school children in the school, covering Classes 1-6.(our target group). These children are going to have new pair of shoes for school which are
locally made and are going to benefit from free English tuition from some of our volunteers. As well, the shoe maker contracted to make the
shoes(GHC 12/shoe) will get some more capital for his business and is hence looking to employ another person to work with him in making the
shoes. We have also come under an agreement with him to help him market his shoes in Accra and GHC 12 out of each sale goes into making a
shoe for another school child.

Spread Strategies: Moving forward, what are the main strategies for scaling impact?

In the medium term, the project seeks to spread through other African countries. Starting off with Ghana's neighboring countries, Togo, Burkina
Faso, Abijan, Nigeria,etc. where each countries local investors would be requested to fund the project and their local shoe manufacturers
contracted to make the shoes. In 5-10 years time the project would have affected positively over millions of school children in Africa.

Sustainability

Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?

I am currently looking at partnering with corporate institutions who are willing to take this project too as their Corporate Social Responsibility, which
means as long as they are in business, the project will be effective. Then again as earlier mentioned, shoe makers will be helped to market their
shoes under the agreement that an amount from the sales will go into making a shoe for a school child.

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these
approaches?

According to my research, Some of the financial institutions and corporate bodies have foundations to support education in the country. So after
the first project is done, i will put together a strong pitch/proposal to these firms and hopefully they will come on board. I also know of an NGO
owned by one friend who also share a similar sentiment of child education and is willing to partner with my NGO on this.

Team

Founding Story

In November 2013, I started a humanitarian course of touching lives and giving meaning to humanity, which has now grown to become a not-for
profit organization based in Accra Ghana known as The USIS Reach Out. Vision:Creating a new generation of young people, passionate about the
development of the "New Africa" and touching the lives of people. Mission:Planting smiles, Touching lives, and Giving Meaning to Humanity
Among our projects are 'The Visit to Patients Project' which is an annual project undertaken to visit sick people at a chosen hospital. Again is
"Shine by USIS" a project aimed at Youth Empowerment and then 'The One Shoe Project'.

Team

i have an amazing team of young leaders who work effortlessly and are always enthusiastic about the executions of projects. They make up a 7
member Board of Directors in addition to myself and each heads a team in the organization. We have the Research Team,Projects Team,
Hospitality Team, Media and Communications Team, Events Team, Finance Manager(myself) and The Board Secretary. We currently have over
30 dedicated volunteers, some of which have dedicated to work in the various teams. They all work hard to make all our projects a success. So
this one is no exception. The plan is Big, but we have already started eating into the Big picture and it is possible.

File attachments:
jamestown_school_pics.gif
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team.gif
shoe_sample.gif

Source URL: https://www.changemakers.com/uconn-susi-student-leaders-social-entrepreneurship-2015/entries/one-shoe-project